Many young athletes dream of playing for their national sports league or participating in its most esteemed event. They work tirelessly to perfect their technique in hopes of achieving this goal. At just 17 years old, Senior Sara Im has made great strides in her golf career, locally and nationally.

Sara has been playing golf since she was seven. In her early years, golf was an extracurricular activity that she excelled in and enjoyed. When Sara became enchanted with golf, her dreams of becoming a professional golfer came to fruition.

“Well first I just ended up going to a coach,” Sarah explained. “I kept on learning new things from him and just kept on progressing from there.”

The COVID-19 outbreak during her freshman year provided Im with an unexpected silver lining, allowing her to utilize the flexibility of online classes and devote significant time to honing in on her skills on the golf course.

“I’ve had a shortened schedule with online classes since freshman year,” Im explained. “I matured a lot as a golfer during the pandemic because of that.” 

In 2018, Sarah was the Girls 12-13 division winner of the Drive Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club. In middle school Im won six American Junior Golf Association victories, and in 2020, she became the Georgia Women’s Amateur champion. 

Im continued her winning streak in 2021 when she helped Lambert win the National High School Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

A catalyst to Sara’s optimistic future was her groundbreaking performance last year at the Dunwoody Country Club.

Im shot an impressive 5-under-par 139. In golf, shooting under par is considered an excellent score, as it means that the golfer was able to complete the round with fewer strokes than the expected or the standard number. 

This score led her to qualify for the Women’s US Open, one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the country.

With her newfound knowledge and enhanced skills from the US Open, Sara went on to shine in tournaments such as the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex in January of this year. 

  Her accomplishments have been noted by several universities that wish to have Sara as a student athlete. She has committed to continue her golf career at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

“It’s a feeling you get like you belong there, you just know,” Im said about her commitment to Vanderbilt.

Im’s dedication to golf is evident in the numerous awards she has won over the years. Her remarkable achievements in such a short period of time speak volumes about her natural talent and relentless work ethic. 

With each tournament she plays, she continues to inspire those around her to strive for greatness. As she heads off to college to continue her golf career, there is no doubt that she will leave a lasting impression on the sport.